1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to continuous hot rolling mills producing long products such as bars, rods, and the like, and is concerned in particular with an improved product handling system for longitudinally receiving subdivided lengths of such products as they issue from the rolling mill, and for transferring the product lengths to a receiver which typically will comprise a cooling bed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In known product handling systems, such as for example those described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,621,696 (Norlindh) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,307,594 (Steinbock), successive product lengths are received in guide channels provided in the surfaces of rotatable drums. The drums are rotated, either continuously or intermittently, to deliver the thus received product lengths to underlying cooling beds.
Continuous drum rotation requires complicated upstream switching systems and mechanisms to reliably deliver the product lengths into the continuously moving guide channels. On the other hand, intermittent drum rotation requires heavy duty drives to overcome system inertia during the stop/start sequences, as well as precise controls to insure that the guide channels are stopped in proper alignment with the delivery path of the incoming product lengths.
The objective of the present invention is to provide a product handling system that in comparison to known prior art systems, is less complicated and easier to coordinate and control.